<p>are there locks on the doors? like, do you get keys to the door or anything like that? how do you secure valuables like laptops and such...if stealing is a problem..</p>
<p>and during christmas vacation, do you have to clean out your rooms when you leave, or can you leave stuff behind?</p>
<p>ahhh need to buy stuff for dorm life! tips and hints appreciated!</p>
<p>There are locks on the door to your room in the traditional dorms--only your roommate(s) can enter. Residence halls are entered via electronic cards. The halls themselves are therefore fairly secure, and your room shouldn't be a problem if it stays locked when you're not there. If you want added security you can rent a safe from cornell or buy one or w/e (see the brochure in the housing packet) or you can lock it to your desk.</p>
<p>At winter break you have to clean out and unplug your refrigerator, but not your room.</p>
<p>Theft is not a problem at cornell at all. I was asked about this by the parents of an incoming freshman recently and I looked at them like they were crazy. I've never known or heard of anything getting stolen at school. In my experience, it just doesn't happen. I think it has to do with the kind of students at cornell....I don't believe that there is a large demographic overlap between top-notch students and petty criminals. As far as winter break goes, they do a safety inspection just to make sure you dont burn the place down over the month off. Before you leave for winter break, i'd unplug any illegal appliances and, just for good measure, get rid of any booze/weed/coke/handguns/etc that you might have in your room.</p>